A Black Adventure
by SidJ
Summary: Rigel Apollo Wolcott has grown up avoiding anything that had to do with Death Eaters, Harry Potter or Sirius Black. But one drunken accident now has him attending Hogwarts for his fifth year with Harry and co. Faced with the boy whose suffering is due to his father's actions, Rigel can no longer avoid his legacy. He will help Harry Potter and atone for his father's actions.
1. Prologue

With a nervous shiver, Mr. Purrey wiped his hands on his prim and stiff robes. Checking to make sure nothing was out of place. With one last adjustment of his collar he hesitantly raised his fist and knocked. 3 series of 3 knocks, short and proper, as he did most things. After waiting a minute with no answer he tried again. When again there was no answer he stepped back off the porch to take a better look at one of the house's many windows.

The house was quite large, but old pureblood homes tended to be. Designed to be overly ornate, with wizard enchanted wood carved into once graceful walls, most likely to impress other pureblood families. But it had been decades since this house impressed anyone, now the wood look decayed and grey, with fungus growing along the bottom where the walls met the ground. The paint was peeling in bunches like grass, sticking out of the side of the house. As magical paint was to do over time without proper care. The windows looked slightly off center and the glass grimy and in need of endless scourgify charms. The grounds as well showed neglect and overgrowth. The stone path from the front gate barely visible, under tall grass and weeds.

The window grime proved too thick for Mr. Purrey to see through. He stood for a moment hesitantly. He was not a take charge kind of man. He tended to be extremely nervous around other people and suffered from anxiety in public. Yet he was now forced to deliver Ministry papers to the homes of wizards for his new job in the School Regulatory Commission of the Ministry. A promotion from a desk clerk job, which he had preferred. Of course with his anxiety he was unable to say no to his boss's face when he was offered the position.

And today he had to visit this old house in disrepair. Just the walk to the front door had driven his panic up. Magical weeds had infested the lawn and tried to tangle his legs as he walked by. And he was sure he had seen gnomes running around too. That along with the creepy visage of the old house had caused him to shake in his shoes.

Gathering up his courage he knocked on the door more forcefully, and promptly squeaked when it was thrown open violently.

"The drunk isn't here, if he owes you money, too bad. He's dead!" a young male voice shouted out.

"Mr, Mr, Mr. Wolcott I presume?" Mr. Purrey stuttered out. Get a hold of yourself Edward, It's just a child, the man said to himself.

Indeed, the angry door opener was a young teenager, around 15 or 16. He had slightly long black hair swept to one side and brown eyes. His face showed noble features of a handsome young man, despite the tiredness clearly apparent in the bags under his eyes. He was still dressed in sleepwear, a simple pair of shorts. The boy hadn't even taken the time to put on a shirt, showing his slim yet slightly defined torso.

"You don't look like a debt collector." The boy remarked as he stared at Mr. Purrey. Taking in his prim robes and white collared shirt and tie underneath.

Mr. Purrey was unsure of how to take that statement and decided to go forth with his practiced lines. Taking courage from the young age of the boy.

"I am Mr. Purrey from the School Regulatory Commission of the Department of Education of the Ministry of Magic"

The boy dragged a hand through his face, clearly annoyed. "It's too early for this shit. What do you want?

Mr. Purrey felt rising panic but pushed it back down.

"I, I, I am here to deliver your-my-our congratulations for winning the Metter Transfer Scholarship competition for Hogwarts School. As well as your Hog-Hogwarts letter."

The boy's face changed, becoming startlingly blank. The change was scary in its speed. It only furthered Mr. Purreys need to go home and be alone.

"I didn't enter any competition. And I'm already enrolled at Arton's"

Mr. Purrey pulled out his parchments and looked through. Dropping a few parchments in the process.

"You were en-entered by a, um, Mr. Gordon Wolcott three months ago. You transfer has already been pr-processed." Mr. Purrey handed over the transfer papers and records as well as the Hogwarts letter, his hands shaking the entire time.

The boy, wide awake now, turned all his attention to the papers, starring with intensity as if he could intimidate the parchments into disappearing.

"What the fuck did that drunk do!" The boy growled as he shuffled through the papers. He got to the acceptance letter and stared blankly at the parchment.

"Bloody fucking hell. When did you say th-" the boy looked up only to see the Ministry's employees back as he ran out of the overgrown property and then apparated away.

"Fuck"


	2. Chapter 1

Rigel Apollo Wolcott stared at the crowd of platform nine and three quarters with growing annoyance as he was shoved for the millionth time on his way to the Hogwarts Express. It had taken him ten minutes longer than it should have to get to the front of the crowd, due to the multiple families giving their goodbyes and crowding the platform. He finally squeezed his way out of the crowd and climbed aboard the train, dragging his ratty trunk behind him, forcing it it to go forward despite its faulty wheels attempting to go left.

His journey to 9 and ¾ had been a short trip to the train station and then 10 minutes of walking around platform 9 and 10 until he finally saw a brown haired boy and his family walk through the pillar between the two stations. His relief had been just as great as his annoyance. Leave it to wizards to create an entire station and forget to label it for fellow wizards.

The interior of the train was less populated and had enough room for Rigel to drag his unruly trunk behind him as he made his way to the back of the train looking for an empty cart. He wasn't in the most social mood and simply wished to sit alone and gather his thoughts for the coming year.

Luckily he found the very last cabin empty. He carelessly shoved his trunk in the overhead compartment and sat down next to the window. He stared out at all of the families saying goodbye impassively.

He didn't care much for all the familial concerns, he hadn't since he was quite young. He could barely remember the warm embraces and motherly concern of his own mother. He could clearly remember the beatings, rambling and crying apologies after she had slowly succumbed to her mental illness. It had been a slow and cruel process, watching his mother go from warm and happy to cold and comatose to finally angry and crazy. Her last year had been the most painful year of Rigels life.

Needless to say Rigel didn't care much for family affections. Any he might have had disappeared when he came to London to stay with his uncle. The drunk had been on binge since before the war ended. To this day Rigel was unsure whether the man had even realized Rigel was living in the same house with him. Which made the reason Rigel was attending Hogwarts this year a bigger mystery.

He refocused on reality just in time to notice the cabin door open and a blonde girl walk in. She stares at him with protuberant eyes giving her a surprised look and after a momentary pause simply sat down across from him pulled out a magazine and ignored his presence.

Rigel stared at her in irritation, which turned into amusement when he took in her appearance. She was wearing a necklace of butterbeer corks, her wand was stuck behind her ear and she was reading the Quibbler upside down. He caught her eye as she peeked at him from above her magazine and winked. The girl immediately ducked back behind her flimsy barrier.

 _This girl is interesting_ , Rigel thought to himself.

His one sided staring contest only ended when another person stuck his head in. A slightly nervous looking brunette, who looked at the both of them and then stepped out just as quickly.

Rigel, mood now much better and amused by the series of events, looked to the girl for her reaction. She continued to focus on the magazine, Rigel wasn't even sure if she had noticed the boy come in and leave.

A number of voices came from just outside the door before it was opened by a pretty redhead. Slightly on the young side, around the same age as the blonde girl come in.

"Hi, is it OK if we sit here?"

"Sure!" Rigel answered thinking it could be fun to spend the train ride with the wierd blonde girl and the cute redhead when he realized she had said 'we' and noticed the two boys behind her. A raven haired boy with round glasses and the nervous brunette from before.

The blonde girl had nodded as well getting a thanks from the girl as the group walked in, stowed their trunks and sat down.

"Had a good summer, Luna?" the pretty redhead asked the blonde who was staring at the raven haired boy of the group.

"Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know." she answered and after a pause, "Your Harry Potter."

Rigel paused, and turned slowly to face the raven haired boy.

"I know I am," said Harry.

Rigel stared at the boy. A multitude of feelings rushed through him. An old anger and shame followed by powerful guilt. He almost had the urge to say 'I'm sorry', but pushed it back. He refocused just in time to hear the redhead introduce Neville to the blonde, Luna.

Rigel forced himself to push all those feeling back in his mind before refocusing. He had known this was a possibility when he decided to come to Hogwarts. He could deal with this.

"You're quite normal for being Harry Potter." Rigel interrupted.

They all turned to stare at Rigel. He didn't mind. He had been annoyed when the two boys had followed the girl into the carriage but they had proven to be interesting company. And Rigel always liked to know interesting people. Any other thoughts he may have on Harry he pushed away. Determined to greet him normally. Or at least as normally one could greet _Harry Potter_.

"Who are you?" Harry asked him, slightly angry.

 _Perhaps a little sensitive about the articles then?_

Rigel smiled and extended his hand towards Harry.

"Rigel Apollo Wolcott. At your service."

Harry shook his hand. Then when he moved his hand to the brunette boy, Neville, who looked surprised but shook it any way.

"Neville Longbottom" the boy said.

He winked at the girl as she shook his hand. She blushed but smiled anyway.

"Ginny Weasley" she said.

He turned his hand on the blonde, Luna, who stared at him for a moment over her magazine before shaking it daintily.

"Luna Lovegood"

Rigel grinned at her, even more amused by her name, before turning back to Harry.

"I'm sorry about the question, but I heard you were supposed to be a little of your rocker, but you seem perfectly fine to me." Rigel continued as he leaned back into his seat, feigning disinterest.

Harry calmed down at that and answered looking slightly taken back.

"Er, thanks"

"You shouldn't listen to that rubbish, the prophet is in the Minister's pocket. And he just wants to discredit Harry and Dumbledore." Ginny said,

"Really?" Rigel asked leaning forward. It hadn't even been two minutes since the group had come in and his day was turning very interesting. Harry Potter and political intrigue? Boy was he glad he let them in. Any other feelings he had on the matter were locked away in a box and never to be opened.

Ginny nodded, and Rigel turned to Harry for confirmation.

Harry looked annoyed at the whole conversation but answered anyway.

"The Minister doesn't want to believe that he's back and has gotten the Prophet to write all that rubbish about me and Dumbledore." Harry said.

"So He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is really back?" Rigel asked in amazement.

Harry nodded.

Rigel sat back staring at Harry. He didn't seem to be lying, his face was set and deadly serious. He looked and acted nothing like what the Prophet reported. His mind now racing Rigel sat back thinking and let silence fill the cabin.

"I haven't seen you before, what year are you in?" Ginny asked, after a few moments of contemplative silence.

"I'm just transferring in, I'll be in fifth year." Rigel answered, smiling charmingly at the girl. "And you guys?"

"I'm in fourth with Luna"

Rigel looked at the blonde, who was still staring at him over her upside down magazine.

"-and Harry and Neville are in fifth with you."

"Do you know what house you're in?" Harry asked him.

"What house?" Rigel asked in confusion.

"On your first year you get sorted into a house" Ginny answered. "Were in Gryffindor," she indicated herself and the two boys, "house of the brave. Luna is in Ravenclaw, house of the studious. Then there's Hufflepuff, the loyal, and Slytherin, the cunning and ambitious. It's based on the four founders of Hogwarts."

Rigel crossed his arms in thought.

"I don't know. I think anything but Ravenclaw. I'm not that studious. Maybe Slytherin?" Rigel answered.

The group of three grimaced in distaste. Luna simply watched on.

"What, is something wrong with Slytherin?" Rigel asked, intrigued by their response.

"Slytherin isn't exactly the nicest house" Ginny began slowly.

"It's filled with a bunch of Pureblood supporters" Harry said.

"All the Death Eater kids" Neville added quietly.

Rigel's face hardened at that, his lips pulled back in a slight snarl. The others looked slightly startled at his response.

"I'll try my best to avoid that then." Rigel said with a bit of venom. The others were surprised by the sudden vehemence and the mood of the cabin turned awkward.

Rigel turned to stare out the window, he had no interest in conversing after that, his mood was ruined.

The others were quiet for a few minutes before resuming conversation among themselves. Neville was showing of some cactus like plant he had received for his birthday, when suddenly, it spewed black ink like substance all over the cabin, from floor to ceiling. Rigel was drenched along with everybody else and sat stunned, unable to process what had happened for a moment.

Neville, whose face and torso were also drenched, shook his head to get the worst out of his eyes.

"S - sorry," he gasped. 'I haven't tried that before . . . didn't realise it would be quite so . . . don't worry, though, Stinksap's not poisonous," he added nervously. Rigel simply stared at the boy.

At that precise moment the door of their compartment slid open. Rigel looked up to see a very pretty asian girl with long black hair.

Of course this was when another beauty walked in on him. Maybe he could turn this around somehow? Maybe use it to make her laugh or-

"Oh . . . hello, Harry," she said with a nervous voice. 'Um . . . bad time?'

Ah, she was here for Harry then.

"Oh . . . hi,'" said Harry blankly. Rigel almost wanted to laugh, hi? That was it? he was losing his chance, and fast too, if her face was anything to go by.

"Um . . ." said Cho. "Well . . . just thought I'd say hello . . . bye then."

Rather pink in the face, she closed the door and departed. Harry slumped back in his seat and groaned.

Rigel took one look at Harry's face and before anybody could say anything burst into laughter. Luna looked at him and giggled as well. Ginny covered her mouth in an attempt to hide a few giggles herself.

Harry looked slightly angry.

"What?" he asked Rigel, who was bent over laughing.

"I'm sorry man, but your face" he paused to let out a few more laughs. "Bad luck mate with the girl, but, c'mon, that was funny."

Harry grumbled to himself, but otherwise acquiesced.

Neville stumbled out a few more apologies before Ginny took control.

"Never mind," said Ginny bracingly. "Look, we can easily get rid of all this." She pulled out her wand. "Scourgify!"

Most of the black goop vanished. Rigel scourgified the last of it off his back.

"Sorry." said Neville again, in a small voice.

"It's alright mate, that was pretty funny. What did you say that plant was again?" Rigel said, attempting to ease the boy's embarrassment. He owed the boy for pulling him from his earlier dark thoughts.

"Mimbulus mimbletonia" he mumbled. It was clear Rigels attempt had not worked too well.

An awkward silence followed, until Ginny attempted to break it. Harry was still holding a grimace on his face, Neville was staring at his lap and Luna was simply staring at them again over her magazine.

"Are you American? I noticed the accent." Ginny asked.

"I was born in France actually. I lived in America from five to thirteen. Been in Britain since then. Family is from London originally." Rigel answered. "What about you guys?" Rigel turned the question back on the group, eager to get attention off his background.

The conversation went on for a while. They told him about themselves and Hogwarts. The food trolley went by during that time as well. Rigel didn't get anything, he was very aware of the little funds his Uncle left him and felt no need to diminish them further.

Honestly he was lucky the scholarship paid for his schooling, as whatever money he had for his previous schooling was taken by his uncles debt collectors. As angry as he originally was about being transferred without permission he was now glad it happened, because if he hadn't won it, he would probably be looking for a job, and any kind of schooling would probably be out of reach. At least he still had the house, as despondent as it was. It was an old family home, fully paid for years ago.

Yet he was still given food when Harry bought a large amount of sweets and distributed them among the cabin. Rigel stared at the boy once again and murmured thanks. Feelings of guilt rose up again but Rigel squished them down.

The conversation was only stopped when the door was slammed open by a red headed boy carrying an owl in a cage followed by a bushy haired brunette girl with an ugly looking cat under her arm.

"I'm starving," said the redhead, stowing his owl cage next to Harry's owl cage, grabbing a Chocolate Frog from Harry and throwing himself into the seat next to him. He ripped open the wrapper, bit off the frog's head and leaned back with his eyes closed as though he had had a very exhausting morning.

Rigel watched, amused at the familiarity, and the fact that neither of the two had noticed him yet.

"Well, there are two fifth-year prefects from each house," said the bushy haired girl, looking thoroughly disgruntled as she took her seat. "Boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?" said Ron, still with his eyes closed.

"Malfoy," replied Harry at once.

Rigel quickly understood this Malfoy was not a liked person among this group, at the all around grimace caused by his name.

"Course," said the red headed boy bitterly, stuffing the rest of the Frog into his mouth and taking another.

"And that complete cow Pansy Parkinson," said the bushy haired girl viciously. "How she got to be a prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll . . ."

"Who are Hufflepuff's?" Harry asked."

"Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott," said the redhead thickly through the chocolate in his mouth.

"And Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw," said the brunette.

"You went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil," Luna said.

The group turned to look at Luna Lovegood, who was gazing unblinkingly at the red head boy over the top of The Quibbler. He swallowed his mouthful of Frog. Both he and the brunette girl looked surprised by her presence. They quickly noticed Rigel as well who waved cheekily at them.

"Yeah, I know I did," he said, looking mildly surprised, looking between her and Rigel.

"She didn't enjoy it very much," Luna informed him. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded," she added thoughtfully, "I don't like dancing very much."

Rigel felt his grin stretch across his face as he watched the boys reaction.

Luna retreated behind The Quibbler again. The redhead stared at the cover with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds, then looked around at Ginny for some kind of explanation, but Ginny had stuffed her knuckles in her mouth to stop herself giggling.

Rigel noticed the bushy brunette staring at him, about to say something before the red head boy continued talking. he was apparently fine with ignoring Rigel and Luna.

"We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often," he told Harry and Neville, "and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something . . . "

"You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!" said the bushy brunette responded sharply. Her interest in Rigel forgotten over scolding her friend.

"Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all," said the redhead, Ron, sarcastically.

"So you're going to descend to his level?"

"No, I'm just going to make sure I get his mates before he gets mine."

Rigel grinned as he watched the two. He was getting a clear feel for their characters as he watched them go back and forth.

"For heavens sake, Ron - "

"I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing," said Ron happily. He lowered his voice to Goyle's low grunt and, screwing up his face in a look of pained concentration, mimed writing in midair. "I . . . must. . . not. . . look . . .like . . . a . . . baboon's . . . backside."

Everyone laughed including Rigel, but nobody laughed harder than Luna Lovegood. She let out a scream of mirth that caused Harry's owl to wake up and flap her wings indignantly and the bushy haired girls cat to leap up into the luggage rack, hissing. Luna laughed so hard her magazine slipped out of her grasp, slid down her legs and on to the floor.

"That was funny!"

Her prominent eyes swam with tears as she gasped for breath, staring at Ron. Utterly nonplussed, he looked around at the others, who were now laughing at the expression on Ron's face and at the ludicrously prolonged laughter of Luna Lovegood, who was rocking backwards and forwards, clutching her sides.

Rigel frowned as he noticed the magazine on the floor.

"Are you taking the mickey?" said Ron, frowning at her.

"Baboon's . . . backside!" she choked, holding her ribs.

Everyone else was watching Luna laughing, but Harry, glancing at the magazine on the floor, noticed something that made him dive for it. Rigel was closer and grabbed it first. Staring hard at the magazine.

He ignored everybody else's startled stare and focused on the line that had caught his attention.

Sirius Black: Villain or Victim?

The article was illustrated by a rather bad cartoon; it was a badly drawn Sirius standing on a pile of human bones with his wand out. The headline on the article said:

SIRIUS - BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED?

Notorious mass murderer or innocent singing sensation?

Rigels angry glare changed into a confused frown as he stared at the caption. Before he scanned the article.

For fourteen years Sirius Black has been believed guilty of the mass murder of twelve innocent Muggles and one wizard. Black's audacious escape from Azkaban two years ago has led to the widest manhunt ever conducted by the Ministry of Magic. None of us has ever questioned that he deserves to be recaptured and handed back to the Dementors.

BUT DOES HE?

Startling new evidence has recently come to light that Sirius Black may not have committed the crimes for which he was sent to Azkaban. In fact, says Doris Purkiss, of 18 Acanthia Way, Little Norton, Black may not even have been present at the killings.

"What people don't realise is that Sirius Black is a false name," says Mrs Purkiss. "The man people believe to be Sirius Black is actually Stubby Boardman, lead singer of popular singing group The Hobgoblins, who retired from public life after being struck on the ear by a turnip at a concert in Little Norton Church Hall nearly fifteen years ago. I recognised him the moment I saw his picture in the paper. Now, Stubby couldn't possibly have committed those crimes, because on the day in question he happened to be enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with me. I have written to the Minister for Magic and am expecting him to give Stubby, alias Sirius, a full pardon any day now."

Rigel stared at the magazine blankly for a full minute before silently throwing it across to Harry. His face blank except for his clenched jaw. He ignored the inquisitive stares from everybody else and turned to the window.

He couldn't focus on anything and simply stared out the window. He felt the cold anger every time he thought of the man seeping in. He clenched his hands into fists and tried to reign it in. Tried his best not to remember the screaming crying of his mother as she talked about **him** , or how she would sometimes stare at Rigel and mumble **his** name. Sometimes in anger, sometimes in happiness. Despite the absurdity of the article all Rigel could focus on was the all encompassing rage he felt.

He didn't notice Harry or the brunette looking at him curiously before looking at the magazine. The bushy brunette leaning over Harry to see it.

He was so lost in his memories he didn't notice conversation resume and the drama that followed. All he knew was when he looked up the bushy brunette was looking quite sheepish, everyone else was looking around awkwardly, and Luna was back behind her magazine.

Rigel also a noticed a group approaching the cabin and knew instantly they were up to no good. A blonde with slicked back pale blonde hair led the way with two burly boys behind him at each side. They followed behind him like henchmen in a Bond film.

Harry had apparently noticed as well.

"What?" he said aggressively, before they could even say anything.

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled the blond, an ugly smirk on his face. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah"' said Harry, "but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

Ron, the brunette, Ginny and Neville laughed. Rigel grinned at the quick wit.

The blonde's lip curled.

"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" he asked.

"Shut up, Malfoy," said the bushy brunette sharply.

Rigel perked up, so this was the notorious Malfoy? He could understand the dislike. The pale boy had an ugly smirk, he didn't even notice Rigel, Luna or Neville. He was clearly a bully, coming to their cabin just to antagonize Harry. Rigel got the feeling this was an ongoing dispute. It reminded him of a few he had back at his previous school.

"I seem to have touched a nerve," said Malfoy, smirking. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line."

"Get out!" said the brunette, standing up.

Sniggering, Malfoy gave Harry a last malicious look and departed, with his two large henchmen lumbering along in his wake. The brunette slammed the compartment door behind them and turned to look at Harry, a worried look passing in between them. Rigel got the feeling he was missing something.

"Chuck us another Frog," said Ron, who seemed unconcerned unlike his two friends.

Harry and the brunette passed another look among themselves, before turning away. Rigel looked away as well. He wasn't too concerned with other people's secrets. Merlin knows he had too many of his own.

The brunette instead, turned her attention on Rigel, her gaze a little too intense in his opinion.

"Are you new? I haven't seen you before, and you look around our age," the brunette asked. The redhead, Ron, turned to face him as well.

Ginny answered for him,

"This is Rigel, he's new to Hogwarts. He'll be transferring into your year."

"Are you really? I don't think Hogwarts has had a transfer student yet. Are you from Beauxbatons? Or Durmstrang? How do you even go about transferring?" she rambled at Rigel.

"Yes, No, No, Scholarship." Rigel answered succinctly and grinned.

The brunette pouted while everyone else smiled.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm from Arton's actually. I won some scholarship to transfer here to Hogwarts" Rigel asked.

"I've never heard of it" the brunette replied, looking annoyed with herself.

"Imagine that," Ron quipped, earning a shove from Harry, who also smiled, and a glare from the brunette.

"It's a magic school in downtown London. Mainly for the piss poor who can't afford Hogwarts." Rigel said with a smile.

The others seemed a little taken back at the description.

"Oh, from your accent I thought you were American," the brunette said.

Rigel smiled,

"I was, I've only been in London for the last two years."

"What kind of scholarship did you win?" she asked leaning forward in interest.

"I don't know much about it. My uncle signed me up for it, he never told me either. Right surprise it was when the Ministry bloke showed up with it. Dude was quite weird too. It was an academic scholarship, something called the Metter scholarship, I think. Just said I won a paid schooling at Hogwarts" Rigel said scratching his cheek in thought.

The brunette reared up for another question but Rigel interrupted her before she could.

"You know I never got your name," he said. "I've been calling you bushy brunette in my head this whole time."

The brunette blushed while everyone else laughed. And before she answered he continued.

"But I think a pretty girl deserves to have her name known yeah?" he smiled charmingly.

Everyone stared at him gaping, at his forwardness, while the brunette blushed even more, her face going quite red. But it had nothing on the red headed boy, Ron, Rigel noticed, whose face tomatoed.

"Er-Hermione," she stumbled out in embarrassment.

"Hermione, pretty name," Rigel continued, watching as her blush deepened as did Ron's.

Harry and Neville was staring at the scene in morbid fascination, almost as if they were watching a trainwreck. Rigel couldn't see Luna's reaction behind her eyes over her magazine, which stared at him unflinchingly. Ginny he noticed was staring at Ron with a growing smirk, Rigel was able to catch her eye and winked, causing her smirk to turn into a full blown grin.

What followed was one of the greatest awkward silences Rigel had ever had the fortune to witness.

Rigel finally lost it when Luna asked Ron if he was all right. He was forced to cover his face with a hand and turn into his shoulder to cover the laughter he was holding in. He could hear distantly, Harry and Ginny's muffled giggles as well.

After another bout of silence filled with more muffled giggles conversation resumed. Though Hermione was much more reserved and Ron barely spoke at all. Eventually conversation stopped and they spent the rest of the time in silence.

Despite the jovial mood of the cabin, Rigel looked at the 15 year old Harry Potter, at the kind, unassuming, normal boy who had lost so much. All because of **him**. And couldn't stop a flood of guilt that ran through him. It burned his insides and wouldn't stop, until he came to an epiphany.

 _I will help him. If Voldemort is really back I will help him. I will make up for everything my father stole from him. I will make sure Harry Potter has a good life._

 _ **I will make things right.**_

…..


End file.
